JP2001222614A - System and method for menu control - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate and shorten work in a kitchen by narrowing down ordered dishes into ones which increase a rate of rotation or are high in gross profit. SOLUTION: When HT 1 receives an order, a controller 5 sends a cooking indication corresponding to the order to the kitchen PC 2. When cooking is completed, a kitchen PC 2 sends a cooking completion report to the controller 5. The controller 5 decides whether or not current cooking work in the kitchen is in the saturated state according to information regarding the order received from the HT 1 and the cooking completion report received from the kitchen PC 2; when the cooking work is in the saturated state, an order stop is displayed on a display 4 and an indication for starting the menu lock is sent to the HT 1 to lock the reception of orders of part of a menu.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a menu control system and a menu control method, and more particularly to a menu control system and a menu control method when a restaurant order is crowded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional system for managing orders in a restaurant. As shown in the figure, a conventional system includes a plurality of handy terminals (hereinafter, referred to as HT) 101 which are portable order input terminals having a built-in wireless circuit, and each HT.
Reception and HT of data transmitted wirelessly from 101
A controller 103 having a transmitting / receiving antenna 102 for wirelessly transmitting data to 101, a slip printer 105 for printing an accounting slip, and a kitchen work for printing a record that an order has been received and that cooking has been completed. Printer 106, a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a kitchen PC) 107 installed in the kitchen for an employee in charge of cooking in the kitchen to input information such as completion of cooking, and data transmission connecting these. And a road 104.

[0003] The HT101 is owned by an in-store employee in charge of customer service, and has a touch sensor in which a touch sensor panel including menu keys corresponding to each menu is arranged on a liquid crystal screen in front of a housing thereof. Panel unit 101
a, a keyboard 101b composed of numeric keys from 0 to 9 and a cancel key for inputting the number of ordered menus, and a liquid crystal display unit 101c for displaying the input contents and the like. A transmission / reception antenna 101d is provided on the top of the housing of the HT 101.

The operation will be described. First, an order from a customer is received by the HT 101, and information input to the HT 101 is transmitted to the controller 103. The controller 103 creates an accounting slip by the slip printer 105 according to the transmitted information, and
A cooking instruction is transmitted to C107. In the kitchen, when a cooking instruction is received, cooking is performed in accordance with the instruction, and when cooking is completed, an employee in charge of cooking inputs a message to the kitchen PC 107 that cooking is completed. Upon receiving the input, kitchen PC 107 transmits a cooking completion report to controller 103.
Based on the cooking completion report, the controller 103 prints the menu for which cooking has been completed by the printer 106 for kitchen work, and based on the printing, an in-store employee carries the finished food to the customer who ordered the prepared food.

[0005]

Conventionally, the same processing is always performed as described above, and no particular attention has been paid to ordering in consideration of work efficiency even in a time zone where customers are concentrated. For this reason, when customers were crowded, many orders were concentrated in the kitchen, making smooth serving difficult, and customers who waited a long time between placing an order and serving were coming out. Naturally, while the seated customers are waiting without meals, those who are waiting for empty seats can only wait intently, and the rotation of customers in the store is stagnant in the middle. Since only the kitchen was busy and the employees in the store could not do anything, there was a problem that the work efficiency was poor and the waiting time for customers was long. Further, the more types of menus handled at the store, the more likely the types of menus ordered by the customer are inevitably high, which makes the work of the kitchen more complicated and hinders efficiency.

[0006] Even when the kitchen has processed all orders, if a customer who ordered a menu that requires a meal time (ie, a menu that cannot be eaten quickly) has been eating for a long time, the same applies. While waiting for a seat is waiting, the rotation of customers in the store is stagnant.
Since neither the kitchen nor the in-store employees can do anything, the time goes on and only waits for the customer to stand, so also in this case the work efficiency is poor and the waiting time for customers waiting for vacant seats becomes longer. there were.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and when the shop is crowded, the menu is narrowed down to a few types (for example,
Simplify and shorten the work of the kitchen by ordering menus that are high in the shop (short cooking time and / or customers can eat in a short time) and those with high margins. It is an object of the present invention to provide a menu control system and a menu control method capable of improving the work efficiency and shortening the waiting time of a customer sitting at a seat and a customer waiting for an empty seat.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a display for displaying a list of menus, an order input terminal for inputting an order from a customer, a kitchen terminal for managing cooking operations in a kitchen, A controller for controlling the entire system, and a menu control system comprising:
An order receiving means for receiving order information from the order input terminal; a cooking instruction transmitting means for transmitting a cooking instruction according to the order information to the kitchen terminal; and a cooking instruction for the cooking instruction from the kitchen terminal. A cooking completion report receiving means for receiving a completion report, and calculating the total unprocessed amount of the current order from the order information and the cooking completion report, and determining whether the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated based on the total unprocessed amount. Determining means, a menu selecting means for selecting a menu for starting locking of an order when the determining means determines that the order is saturated, and stopping the order for the menu selected by the menu selecting means. An instruction is sent to the display to perform the display, and a menu lock instruction is issued to the order entry terminal. , And order stop instruction transmission means for transmitting a menu control system comprising a.

Further, the order input terminal further includes means for outputting an instruction to stop an order of a predetermined menu to the controller, and the order stop instruction transmitting means of the controller includes an order stop instruction transmitting means for receiving an order from the order input terminal. Based on the stop instruction, an instruction is sent to the display to display an order stop for the menu, and an instruction to start locking of the menu is sent to all order entry terminals.

Further, the display is constituted by an electro-optical display, and in a normal case, the display screen of the electro-optical display is equally divided by the number of all menus, and the display of each menu is performed in each equally divided frame. When the instruction is received from the order stop instruction transmitting unit, the display screen of the electronic display is equally divided by the number of unlocked menus, and each menu is displayed.

The display is composed of a menu sample and a plate for displaying the menu name and the order stop, and at least the order stop display is performed by electronic display.

[0012] The total unprocessed amount is the total number of menus for which cooking has not been completed.

The total unprocessed amount is obtained by multiplying the total number of menus for which cooking has not been completed by the number of types of the menu.

Further, the total unprocessed amount is the total cooking time expected for a menu for which cooking has not been completed.

Further, the number of waiting persons is further added to the total unprocessed amount.

[0016] Further, the reservation amount received from the user side communication terminal is further added to the total unprocessed amount. Here,
The user-side communication terminal includes all external communication devices such as an Internet terminal, a telephone terminal, a FAX terminal, and an e-mail transmission terminal.

Further, the controller further comprises a database in which the priority order for starting the lock is assigned to each menu, and the menu selecting means is adapted to store the priority in accordance with the degree of crowding in the kitchen.
From the database with the highest priority, select the menu to lock for each item individually.

Further, the controller further includes a database in which each menu is grouped into a plurality of groups for each item, and the menu selection means selects a menu to be locked in group units.

Further, the selection means selects a menu to be locked according to the time zone.

The selection means selects a menu to be locked according to the day of the week.

The selecting means selects a menu to be locked according to the season.

Further, the selection means selects a menu to be locked according to the temperature.

The selection means selects a menu to be locked based on the gross margin of each menu.

Also, the present invention provides a menu display step of displaying a list of menus to a customer, an order input step of inputting an order from a customer to an order input terminal, and an order input step in the order input step. An order receiving step of receiving information, a cooking instruction transmitting step of transmitting a cooking instruction according to the order information to the kitchen, a cooking completion report receiving step of receiving a cooking completion report from the kitchen in response to the cooking instruction, and order information and cooking. From the completion report,
Calculating the total unprocessed amount of the current order, a determining step of determining whether the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated based on the total unprocessed amount, and when it is determined that the cooking operation is saturated in the determining step, A menu selection step for selecting a menu for starting locking of an order, and an instruction to display an order stop for the menu selected in the menu selection step is transmitted to the order input terminal. And a step of transmitting an order stop instruction for transmitting a lock start instruction.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a menu control system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a handy terminal (HT) for receiving an order, 2 is a kitchen PC installed in the kitchen, 3 is a kitchen display connected to the kitchen PC 2, 4 is installed in the store, and is handled at the restaurant. It is a storefront display that displays or lists displayed products (menus). Here, the HT1 (see FIG. 2) has the same configuration as the HT101 in the above-described conventional system, and thus the description is omitted here. In addition, in this specification, the store display 4 will be described by taking as an example a display installed at a store, but the present invention is not limited to this case. Any location as long as it is a suitable place, and it may not be of the type to be installed.For example, it is configured by a portable computer, etc., so that employees in the store can bring it to the customer and display it It may be a portable type. In the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a controller that controls the entire system, wirelessly receives data related to orders received from the HT 1, transmits a cooking instruction to the kitchen PC 2 based on the data, and reports a cooking completion from the kitchen PC 2. In addition to performing the operation of receiving, a determination is made as to whether or not the cooking operation is saturated. In the case of a saturated state, the menu that can be ordered is narrowed down to some few types according to preset conditions. For the other menus, the order stop (out of stock) is displayed on the store display 4 and the kitchen display 3 so that the lock of the order is started, and the lock for the menu for which the order is stopped is also started for each HT1. Is transmitted. Here, the lock means that the input of the order of the menu is not accepted in the HT1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the controller 5. As shown in the figure, the controller 5 has a CPU for controlling the internal operation of the controller 5.
51 and an RO for storing fixed data such as a control program
M52, a RAM 53 for storing various data such as various tables such as a menu table and an order management table and various databases for determining lock start and selecting a menu to be locked, and a clock function for clocking the current time. A time management unit 54 for managing and processing reservation data in a reservation data storage unit, which will be described later, and a data input / output between the kitchen PC 2 and the storefront display 4.
An I / O circuit 55, a wireless circuit 56 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the HT1, and an internal bus 59 connecting them are provided. Input means, such as a keyboard 57, for inputting the password. Further, if necessary, for example, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 2, when the temperature needs to be measured, the temperature is connected to an external temperature measuring device 6 for measuring the current outdoor temperature of the restaurant. A measuring circuit 58 or the like may be provided, or a waiting person input terminal 9 or the like for inputting the number of waiting persons may be provided. Further, a reservation data storage unit 59 for storing reservation data ordered from a customer may be provided. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the controller 5 includes a kitchen work printer 7 for printing a record indicating that an order has been received and cooking has been completed, as shown in the figure. And a slip printer 8 for printing an accounting slip.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a screen of the kitchen display 3. As shown in FIG. As shown, the kitchen display 3 displays a menu display section 3a on which a list of menus handled at the restaurant is displayed, and a menu for starting a lock is manually input via the kitchen PC 2 with the exception. And an input box 3c for manually inputting a menu for unlocking via the kitchen PC2 as well. However, basically,
The menu for starting the lock is determined automatically by the controller 5, and the input field 3b is exceptionally used for manual input. Similarly, the unlocking operation is performed automatically by the controller 5, and the input field 3c is exceptionally manually operated. Note that these input fields 3
As an input method to the b and 3c, for example, kitchen PC2
By operating a mouse (not shown) provided on the screen, the mouse pointer on the screen is moved to the input field 3b or 3c and clicked. When a blinking cursor for prompting input is displayed in the input field, the number of the corresponding menu is input using a keyboard (not shown) provided in kitchen PC2. In the menu display section 3a, as shown in the figure, a list of all menus is displayed in a table format, and the background color of a locked menu is changed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a storefront display 4 for a customer who has come to a restaurant. FIG. 4 (a)
The left side shows the state before locking, and the right side of FIG. 4A shows the state after locking. As shown on the left side of FIG. 4 (a), the storefront display 4 is configured by an electronic display, and usually, the entire display screen of the electronic display is equally divided by the number of all menus (here, 20 menus). Information of each menu is displayed in each equally divided frame 41. That is, in the drawing, in each frame 41 described as “menu n” (n is 1 to 20), a photograph of a product (menu), a product name, and a price (all are not shown) are displayed. . For product photos,
This can be easily realized by using digital data of a video taken by a digital camera.

At this time, assuming that the cooking operation in the kitchen has reached a saturated state, some menus are locked by an instruction from the controller 5. For example, assuming that 10 out of 20 menus are locked, as shown on the right side of FIG. 4A, the storefront display 4 displays the number of remaining unlocked menus (here, (10 menus), the entire display screen of the electro-optic display is equally divided, and only the remaining individual menus are displayed. That is, in this case,
The size of each frame 41 is twice as large as the normal size, and only the unlocked menu is displayed.

Further, when the number of menus becomes odd due to the lock, a blank space is created (for example, 20 menus).
(If 11 of the menus are locked)
As shown in FIG. 4 (b), an advertisement of a store or the like is inserted to cover.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a rough processing flow of the menu control system of the present invention. First, an order is received from a customer by the HT1 (step S1). Next, the order information is sent to the kitchen PC 2 via the controller 5 (step S2). At this time, when the controller 5 receives the order information from the HT 1, the controller 5 determines whether the cooking operation is saturated based on the order information from the HT 1 and the cooking completion report from the kitchen PC 2 (step S3). In the case of saturation, the menu to be ordered is narrowed down to a small number of types according to preset conditions, and an order stop display is displayed on the store display 4 and the kitchen display 8 for the menu for stopping the order. Then, a lock start instruction is transmitted to each HT 1 for the menu for which the order has been stopped (step S4), and thereafter, the order is received in a limited menu. However, for the order already received in step S1, cooking is performed according to the order (step S5). Step S3
In step S5, if it is determined that the state is not saturated, cooking is performed according to the order received (step S5).

Next, the above steps S3 and S
The details of the operation of the four parts will be described. 6 and 7
FIG. Step S11 in FIG.
Steps S14 to S14 correspond to step S3 in FIG. 5, and steps S15 and S7 in FIG. 6 correspond to step S4 in FIG.

First, upon receiving the order information from the HT 1 (step S11), the controller 5 prepares a plurality of definitions of the total unprocessed amount for determining whether the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated or not. An item indicating which one is selected from among them is read, and a saturation amount set value for determining a saturation state corresponding to the total unprocessed amount is read (step S12). Next, the setting value of the saturation amount is set based on the read value (step S13). As shown in FIG. 8, the items of the total unprocessed amount and the set value of the saturation amount are stored in advance in a database in the RAM 53 in association with each other, and are used when the system is started (for example, before a restaurant opening time). For example, it is assumed that any one of the items is selected by the operator and has already been input by input means such as the keyboard 57. In the present embodiment, a description will be given assuming that “sum of the uncooked number” of item 1 in FIG. 8 is selected as the item of the total unprocessed amount. Next, the current unprocessed amount total for the selected item is calculated, that is, in the present embodiment, the total number of menus that have not been cooked is calculated as the unprocessed amount total, and the value is calculated. Is compared with the set value of the saturation amount of 80 (step S14).

Next, as a result of the comparison, when the saturation amount exceeds the set value, the process proceeds to step S15, and the menu for starting the lock is selected from a plurality of patterns prepared in advance (that is, a plurality of menus are prepared). The user selects whether to divide into groups and lock them in groups) or to prioritize the menus and lock them one by one (step S15). In this case, it is also assumed that the operator has selected one of them at the time of starting up the system (for example, before the opening time of the restaurant) and the like, and has input it through input means such as the keyboard 57. If the method of selecting by pattern has been selected, the process proceeds to step S16 in FIG. 7, and it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous lock was started.
Since the menu to be locked is selected in a pattern, if the locked menu is changed too frequently, the employee is also left with the customer, and after a predetermined time elapses, another pattern is locked. Next, an item for determining a pattern is read (step S17). The items for determining the pattern are as follows:
Items to consider when selecting a pattern,
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the time zone, the day of the week, the season,
A plurality of items such as temperature and gross profit are prepared and stored in RAM in advance.
53 is stored in the database. Here, it is assumed that any one is selected by the operator at the time of starting up the system (for example, before the opening time of the restaurant) and input by the input means such as the keyboard 57.

An optimum pattern is determined according to the current situation of the item for determining the pattern read in step S17 (step S18), and locking of the corresponding menu is started by the pattern (step S19).
Then, the order stop is displayed on the store display 4,
A menu lock start instruction is also sent to HT1.

Here, the pattern will be described. As shown in the item of FIG. 9 described above, the weather (temperature) of the day is checked, and the priority of the menu is set for warming / cooling, and the day of the week (holiday) It is prepared to be able to respond flexibly to a number of external factors, such as predicting changes in the customer segment due to (or not). As menus to be locked, those that take a long time to cook, those that take a meal time for customers, and those that have poor gross margins are particularly effective. To FIG.
0 indicates a part of each pattern prepared in advance in a database in the RAM 53. Pattern number 01 is cold desserts, pattern number 05
Are light meals (gross margin is not so good), pattern number 21 is set meals, pattern number 24 is cold noodles, pattern number 31 is menu items that are difficult to order only when it is cold,
The pattern number 50 groups menus with the worst margins. The pattern number of the pattern to be locked is stored in advance in the RAM 53 in association with the content of each of the items in FIG. 9 described above.

For example, taking the time zone of item A in FIG. 9 as an example, the pattern number 50 is locked at the time of breakfast, the pattern number 05 is locked at lunch, and the pattern number 01 is set at dinner for the item contents of item A. And 05 are locked, and the pattern number 21 is locked at the time between meals.
It is set in M53. If the time zone of item A in FIG. 9 has been selected in step S17, the data of the current time is transmitted from the time management unit 54 in the controller 5 to C
The PU 51 reads out and determines which time zone it is, and selects a pattern in which locking is set in advance in each time zone. More specifically, in the time zone between meals, a pattern number 21 of a set meal that is unlikely to be ordered frequently in that time zone is selected, and the menu included therein is locked. For dinner, pattern number 01 for desserts and pattern number 0 for snacks
Lock with 5.

Similarly, for the day of the week of item B, the time management unit 54
, The data of the day of the day is read out, and a pattern is selected depending on whether it is a weekday or a holiday (Saturday and Sunday). For example, on weekdays, pattern number 01 of desserts and pattern number 05 of snacks are locked, and on holidays, pattern number 24 is locked.
Rock noodles.

In the season of item C, spring is from March to May,
It is determined in advance that summer is to August, autumn to September to November, and winter to December to February, and reads the month of the day from the time management unit 54,
Select a pattern. For example, in the case of spring or autumn, the cold noodles of pattern number 24 and the menu of pattern number 31 are locked.

If the temperature is the item D, for example, 15 ° C.
Hereinafter, the temperature is divided into several blocks such as 15 to 25 ° C. and 25 ° C. or higher, and a pattern is selected according to which block includes the temperature. For example, 1
When the temperature is 5 ° C. or less, the cold desserts of pattern number 01 and the cold noodles of pattern number 24 are locked.
When the temperature is 25 ° C. or more, the menu of the pattern number 31 is locked. In addition, regarding the input of the temperature, the temperature outside the restaurant may be automatically measured by the temperature measuring device 6 and the temperature measuring circuit 58, or the expected maximum temperature and the predicted minimum temperature of the day, You may make it input the present outdoor temperature.

In the case of the gross profit of the item E, a plurality of patterns are prepared such as a group having the worst gross profit (a material cost such as steak) and a group having the next worst gross profit. Locking. For example, if the store is crowded, first, the menu of the pattern number 50 with the worst gross margin is locked, and if the shop is further crowded, the menu with the lowest gross margin after the pattern number 50 is locked.

Returning to the description of the flowchart. As described above, when the menu is locked by the pattern in the step S19, it is determined whether or not the material is insufficient for each of the unlocked menus (step S20). , Lock is started (step S21), an order stop is displayed on the storefront display 4, and an instruction to start menu lock is also sent to the HT1. Next, it is determined whether or not the number of locked menus is equal to or more than a predetermined maximum value (MAX) (step S22). It is stopped at the time (step S23).

Returning to FIG. 6, if the method of assigning priorities and locking one by one in order has been selected in step S15, the process proceeds to step S30 in FIG. Starts locking the first menu, displays an order stoppage on the storefront display 4, and sends a menu lock start instruction to the HT1. FIG.
1 shows an example of a database of each menu to which a priority is assigned. In this example, the steak of priority 1 is locked. Next, in step S31, for the next lock, the priority order is updated (to be second) and the saturation amount set value used in step S13 is updated. In the example of FIG. 7, the set value of the saturation amount is increased by the constant 1 (for example, the constant 1 = 10), that is, the “total number of uncooked” reaches 90 which is increased by 10 from the initial 80. Then, the shrimp fly which is the second priority menu is locked. Next, for each menu that is not locked, it is determined whether or not the material is sufficient (step S32), and for the menu that is out of material, locking is started (step S33).
Then, the order stop is displayed on the store display 4,
A menu lock start instruction is also sent to HT1. Next, it is determined whether or not the number of locked menus is not equal to or more than a predetermined maximum value (MAX) (step S34). Stop at the time (step S3
5).

In the above description, an example is described in which only one database is prepared in the case of prioritizing and locking sequentially. However, the present invention is not limited to this case, and as shown in FIG. A plurality of items may be prepared, and a plurality of databases with priorities assigned according to the options of each item may be prepared. In this case, the menu to be locked can be more effectively and efficiently selected.

Also, in the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7, an example has been described in which the pattern selection or the priority order is selected in step S15. However, the present invention is not limited to this case, and only one of them may be used. In this case, the operation program can be simplified, the data amount of the database can be significantly reduced, and the processing time can be reduced.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a plurality of items are prepared in the database for items for defining the definition and pattern of the total unprocessed amount, and any one of them is selected. Although the example has been described, the present invention is not limited to this case, and each item may be one by one. In such a case, the operation program is simplified,
The amount of data in the database can be greatly reduced, and the processing time can be reduced.

In the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7, it has been described in steps S12, S15, and S17 that which one to select is input in advance when the system is started up. However, the present invention is not limited to this case. Alternatively, the operator may be notified by an alarm or the like that the saturation state has been reached, and the input may be prompted and input.

Next, the operation for releasing the lock will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the unlocking operation. First, the controller 5 controls the kitchen PC 2
, The cooking completion data is received (step S50).
Next, based on the cooking completion data, the total unprocessed amount is recalculated (step S51). Next, a release start set value is set (step S52). The release start set value here is different from the above-mentioned saturation amount set value. For example, here, the description will be given assuming that the release start set value is 30. Next, the total unprocessed amount is compared with the release start set value (step S53). If the total unprocessed amount becomes smaller than the release start set value, that is, if the total unprocessed amount becomes 29 or less. Then, the process proceeds to step S54, and it is determined whether the pattern is selected or the order of priority. If the pattern is selected, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the lock was previously released (step S55), and if it has elapsed, which of the currently locked patterns is read (step S5).
6) Then, the most suitable pattern for unlocking is determined from among them (step S57), the corresponding menu is unlocked (step S58), the order stop display on the storefront display 4 is canceled, and the HT1 is displayed. Also sends an instruction to unlock the menu.

On the other hand, if the priority order is selected in step S54, the flow advances to step S60 to release the i-th priority lock. That is, the last locked menu is unlocked, the order stop display on the storefront display 4 is canceled, and the menu lock release instruction is also sent to the HT 1. Next, in step S61,
Update the priority (i
-1) and the release start set value used in step S53 is updated. In the example of FIG. 12, since the release start set value is reduced by a constant 2 (for example, constant 2 = 5),
That is, when the “total number of uncooked items” reaches 24, which is 5 less than 29 at the start of the first release, the menu locked second from the last is released.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
It is automatically determined whether or not the cooking operation in the kitchen has reached a saturation state, and when the cooking operation has reached a saturation state, the menu to be ordered has a higher turnover rate (short cooking time and / or
By narrowing down menus such as those that customers can eat in a short time) and those with high gross margins, kitchen work is simplified and shortened, work efficiency is improved, and customer waiting time is shortened can do.

In the above description, the controller 5 determines whether or not the cooking operation in the kitchen has reached a saturated state, and if it is determined that the cooking operation in the kitchen has reached a saturated state, the controller 5 makes a selection from the menu. Although the example of stopping the menu order has been described, the present invention is not limited to this case, and it is desirable to manually issue an order stop instruction from the HT 1 in exceptional cases, for example, when a sudden change in the temperature has to be taken. In preparation for the case, for example, the HT 1 possessed by the leader (responsible person) of the in-store employee may be able to transmit an instruction to stop the order of the individual menu to the controller 5. Sends an instruction to the store display 4 so that the controller 5 displays an order stop for the designated menu according to the instruction. To send an instruction to lock the start of the menu for each HT1. Here, the selection of the menu for stopping the order is determined by the leader (responsible person) who owns the HT1.
In this way, if the HT1 is configured to be able to issue an instruction to stop the order, various situations can be further dealt with, and the convenience is improved.

Embodiment 2 In this embodiment, the in-store display 4 described in the first embodiment is used.
Another embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 shows a configuration of the storefront display 4 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 13 (a), reference numeral 42 denotes a sample of a menu formed by waxwork, and reference numeral 43 denotes a plate for performing lightning display. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 13B, the plate 43 includes a menu name 43a, a price 43b,
It comprises a display window 43c for displaying an order stop such as "sold out".

The operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 13 (a), the shop display 4 normally displays a row work 42, and a plate 43 on which only the menu name and the price are displayed is placed next to the work. However, when the cooking operation of the kitchen becomes saturated and an order stop instruction is received from the controller 5, the storefront display 4 displays an order stop such as "sold out" on the display window 43c of the plate 43.

As described above, in the present embodiment,
A small plate that displays lightning is attached to a sample made of waxwork to indicate that the order has been stopped, so it can be done at low cost and it is easy to understand for customers who came to the restaurant A stop indication can be provided.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which all the display windows 43c for displaying the menu name 43a, the price 43b, and the order stop such as "sold out" are displayed electronically. , Not only in that case,
Only the display window 43c may be displayed electronically, and the menu name 43a and the price 43b may be fixedly displayed such as printed.

Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, another example of an item indicating the definition of the total unprocessed amount for determining whether or not a saturated state is read in step S12 of FIG. 6 described in the first embodiment will be described. In the above-described first embodiment, simply “total number of uncooked items” is used as the total unprocessed amount.
When the 0 types of menus are not yet cooked one by one, the cooking time naturally changes. Therefore, in the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the sum of the number of uncooked menus multiplied by the number of types of uncooked menus is used as the unprocessed amount for rough estimation. Other operations, the configuration of the system, and the like are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment, and a description thereof will not be repeated.

That is, in this embodiment, the total unprocessed amount is given by the following equation (1).

Unprocessed amount total = (number of types of menu) × (total number of uncooked items) (1)

More specifically, when the total number of uncooked curry rice is 4, the hamburger is 2, and the tonkatsu is 4, the total unprocessed amount is 3 × 10 = 30. If only 10 pieces of rice have not been cooked, the total unprocessed amount is 1 × 10 = 10.

As described above, also in this embodiment,
The same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, and
Further, in the present embodiment, the total amount of unprocessed amounts is not simply the sum of the number of uncooked items, but the total value of weights obtained by multiplying the number of types of uncooked menus by the number of uncooked items. With a simple calculation, the magnitude of the total unprocessed amount can be roughly estimated, and the menu can be controlled easily and efficiently.

Embodiment 4 In this embodiment, another example of the item indicating the definition of the total unprocessed amount for determining whether or not the saturation state is read in step S12 of FIG. 6 described in the first embodiment will be described. In the above-described first embodiment, as the total unprocessed amount, the “sum of the uncooked pieces” is simply used. However, there are various menus that require a long cooking time or that can be cooked in a short time. Therefore, in the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the predicted cooking time of each menu is previously stored in a database, and the “total cooking time” predicted as the total unprocessed amount is used. Other operations, the configuration of the system, and the like are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment, and a description thereof will not be repeated.

That is, in this embodiment, the total unprocessed amount is given by the following equation (2).

Unprocessed amount total = Σ ((cooking time of each menu) × (uncooked number of each menu)) (2)

More specifically, assuming that the curry rice cooking time is 2 minutes (the curry has already been prepared and the serving time only), the hamburger is 5 minutes, and the tonkatsu is 7 minutes, the curry rice is uncooked. When the total number is 4, the hamburger is 2 and the tonkatsu is 6, the total unprocessed amount is 60 minutes.

As described above, also in this embodiment,
The same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, and
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the total value of the weights obtained by multiplying the number of uncooked times by the predicted cooking time of each menu, instead of simply the total number of uncooked numbers, is not used as the total amount of unprocessed food. (Total time), the size of the total unprocessed amount can be accurately measured, and more precise menu control can be performed.

As one of the patterns shown in FIG. 10, a pattern that prepares a group that takes a long time to cook is prepared, and when a shop is crowded, the pattern that takes a long time to cook is locked to improve efficiency. May be achieved.

Embodiment 5 In this embodiment, another example of the item indicating the definition of the total unprocessed amount for determining whether or not the saturation state is read in step S12 of FIG. 6 described in the first embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the first and second embodiments are described.
An example in which the number of waiting persons is further added to one of the items 3 and 4 will be described.

As shown by the broken line in FIG. 9, the input terminal 9 is connected to the controller 5 so that the customer who has come to the restaurant or the in-store employee of the restaurant accepts the input. HT1 or input from HT1.

If this embodiment is applied to the above-described first embodiment, assuming that one menu is ordered for each person waiting, the total unprocessed amount is expressed by the following equation (3). As described above, the sum of the number of uncooked people is added to the sum of the number of waiting people.

Unprocessed amount total = (total number of uncooked items) + (total number of people waiting)

If the present embodiment is applied to the items of the above-described third embodiment, for example, three types of menus are ordered for every 10 people waiting, that is, 0.3 types are ordered for each person waiting. The coefficient of the number of menu types per waiting person is set in advance. The sum of the number of types of menus obtained by this coefficient and the number of people waiting is further added to the total amount of unprocessed data in the third embodiment to obtain the total amount of unprocessed data in the present embodiment. This is given by the following equation (4).

The total unprocessed amount = (the number of menu types) × (the total number of uncooked items) + (the number of waiting persons × the coefficient) × (the total number of waiting persons) (4)

If this embodiment is applied to the items of the above-described fourth embodiment, for example, it is assumed that one menu is ordered for each person waiting, and the average cooking time of the menu is set to a predetermined time in advance. The total unprocessed amount in the present embodiment is a value obtained by multiplying the number of waiting persons by the average cooking time and further adding the result to the total unprocessed amount in the fourth embodiment. This is given by the following equation (5).

Unprocessed amount total = Σ ((cooking time of each menu) × (number of uncooked items of each menu)) + (average cooking time) × (total number of people waiting) (5)

As described above, in the present embodiment,
In addition to the above-described first, third, and fourth embodiments, the sum of the unprocessed amounts is obtained by adding the number of waiting persons, so that the total unprocessed amount can be measured more accurately.
The degree of crowding in the restaurant can be accurately grasped, and the menu can be controlled systematically and efficiently.

Embodiment 6 FIG. In this embodiment, another example of the item indicating the definition of the total unprocessed amount for determining whether or not the saturation state is read in step S12 of FIG. 6 described in the first embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the first and second embodiments are described.
An example will be described in which the amount of reservation received from a user terminal such as an Internet terminal and a telephone terminal is further added to the total unprocessed amount of any of items 3, 4, and 5.
FIG. 14 shows the configuration of the menu control system according to the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes the Internet, 21 denotes an Internet terminal connected to the Internet 20, 22 denotes an out-of-store reservation system connecting the Internet 20 and the controller 5, and 23 denotes a telephone terminal connected to the out-of-store reservation system 22. is there. Other configurations are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment. Therefore, the same reference numerals are given here, and the description will be omitted. In FIG. 1, an Internet terminal and a telephone terminal are illustrated as user terminals, but the present invention is not limited to this case. By way of example, it is intended to mean such external communication devices in general.

The method of adding the reserved amount to the total unprocessed amount is the same as the method of adding the number of waiting persons described in the fifth embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted here. The reservation data is stored in the reservation data storage unit 59 in the controller 5 when an order is received from the user communication terminal. The time management unit 54 has a clock function for measuring the current time. The time management unit 54 refers to the contents of the reservation data in the reservation data storage unit 59 and determines the number and type of the reserved menus. An expected cooking time for the reservation data is calculated, and based on the calculation result, a predetermined time earlier than the reservation time (for example, if the expected cooking time is one hour, one hour before the reservation time). A reservation alarm signal for notifying that there is a reservation and reservation data are transmitted to the CPU 51.

The operation will be described. Upon receiving the reservation data from the telephone terminal 23 and the Internet terminal 21 via the Internet 20, the out-of-store reservation system 22 transmits the reservation data to the controller 5. The reservation data includes the date and time of the reservation, the number of customers, the desired menu, and the like. The controller 5 temporarily stores the reservation contents received from the telephone terminal 23 and the out-of-store reservation system 22 in the reservation data storage unit 59, calculates the expected cooking time of the reservation data, and also calculates the calculation result in the reservation data storage unit. Save to 59. When the reservation alarm signal and the reservation data are transmitted from the reservation data storage unit 59 by a predetermined time (the expected cooking time) earlier than the reservation time of the reservation data, the CPU 51 transmits the reservation data and HT1. It is determined whether or not the cooking operation is saturated based on the received order information and the number of waiting persons information. In the case of the saturated state, the menu to be ordered is narrowed down to a few types by any of the methods described in the first to fourth embodiments, and the order is received on the store display 4 and the kitchen display 3. The order stop is displayed for the menu to be stopped, and each HT1
Also, a lock start instruction is transmitted to the out-of-store reservation system 22 for the menu for which the order is stopped, and thereafter, the order is received in a limited menu, but for the already received order, Cook according to the order. If it is determined that the state is not saturated, cooking is performed according to the order received.

As described above, in the present embodiment,
In addition to the above-described first to fourth embodiments, the sum of the unprocessed amount and the sum of the reserved amount is used as the total unprocessed amount, so that the total unprocessed amount can be measured more accurately. The condition can be accurately grasped, and the menu can be controlled systematically and efficiently.

In the above description, the method of transmitting the reservation data before the reservation time and automatically adding it to the total unprocessed amount by the operation of the time management unit 54 has been described. HT considers reservation data
Alternatively, a lock instruction may be issued from the keyboard 1 or the keyboard 57 provided in the controller 5.

[0081]

According to the present invention, a display for displaying a list of menus, an order input terminal for inputting an order from a customer, a kitchen terminal for managing kitchen cooking operations, and control of the entire system are provided. And a controller that transmits a cooking instruction in accordance with the order information to a kitchen terminal, the order receiving means receiving the order information from the order input terminal, and a kitchen terminal. A cooking instruction transmitting means, a cooking completion report receiving means for receiving a cooking completion report for the cooking instruction from the kitchen terminal, and the order information and the cooking completion report, calculating the total unprocessed amount of the current order, and Determining means for determining whether the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated based on the total amount, and when it is determined that the kitchen is saturated, Menu selection means for selecting a menu for starting the order lock of the orderer, and transmitting an instruction to the display to display an order stop for the menu selected by the menu selection means, and to the order input terminal. Since the menu control system includes an order stop instruction transmitting unit that transmits an instruction to start menu locking, it is automatically determined whether or not the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated. By reducing the number of menu items ordered to a small number, it is possible to simplify and shorten the work of the kitchen, improve the work efficiency, and reduce the waiting time for customers . As a menu to be squeezed, for example, if squeezed into a menu that is turned up in the store (short cooking time and / or short meal time for customers), it is particularly effective in terms of efficiency, and If the gross margin is narrowed down, the efficiency can be improved and the gross margin is also effective.

Further, the order input terminal further includes means for outputting an instruction to stop an order of a predetermined menu to the controller, and the order stop instruction transmitting means of the controller includes an order stop instruction transmitting means for receiving an order from the order input terminal. Based on the stop instruction, an instruction is sent to the display to display an order stop for the menu, and an instruction to start locking the menu is sent to all order entry terminals. Since an order stop instruction can also be manually issued from the order input terminal, the convenience is improved.

The display is constituted by an electro-optical display. In a normal case, the display screen of the electro-optical display is equally divided by the number of all menus, and each menu is displayed in each equally divided frame. When the instruction from the order stop instruction transmitting means is received, the display screen of the electric light display is equally divided by the number of unlocked menus, and the individual menus are displayed, so that the restaurant is displayed. The customer can easily view the menus that can be ordered, and can avoid having to know that the menu has been reduced to a small number.

The display is composed of a menu sample and a plate for displaying the menu name and the order stop, and at least the order stop is displayed by lightning, so that the display can be performed at low cost. Can be.

Since the total unprocessed amount is the total number of menus for which cooking has not been completed, the total unprocessed amount can be obtained by a simple calculation, and the processing time can be reduced. The effect is obtained.

Further, since the total unprocessed amount is obtained by multiplying the total number of menus for which cooking has not been completed by the number of types of the menu, the total number of menus is not a mere total but the number of menu types. Thus, the size of the unprocessed amount can be roughly grasped by a simple calculation, and the effect that the menu can be controlled easily and efficiently can be obtained.

Further, since the total unprocessed amount is the total cooking time expected for a menu for which cooking has not been completed, the size of the total unprocessed amount can be accurately measured, and more precise processing can be performed. Thus, an effect is obtained that the menu can be controlled easily.

Further, since the number of waiting persons is further added to the total unprocessed amount, the total unprocessed amount can be measured more accurately, and the degree of congestion in the restaurant can be accurately grasped. The effect is obtained that the menu can be controlled efficiently.

Further, since the reservation amount received from the user communication terminal is further added to the total unprocessed amount,
It is possible to request reservations via the Internet or telephone terminals, which improves convenience, and also allows the total amount of unprocessed data to be measured more accurately, including reservations, so that the degree of crowded restaurants can be accurately grasped and planned. An effect is obtained that the menu can be controlled efficiently and efficiently.

Further, the controller further includes a database in which the priority order for starting the lock is assigned to each menu, and the menu selecting means is adapted to select the menu according to the degree of crowding in the kitchen.
Since the menus to be locked for each item are selected in order from the database having the highest priority, the menu selection operation is facilitated and the processing time can be shortened.

Further, the controller further includes a database in which each menu is grouped into a plurality of groups for each item, and the menu selection means selects a menu to be locked in group units. By selecting and locking, an effect is obtained that the menu can be controlled flexibly.

Further, since the selection means selects the menu to be locked according to the time zone, the menu which is not often ordered depending on the time zone is locked, thereby minimizing the loss due to the lock. While
The effect is obtained that the efficiency can be sufficiently improved.

Further, since the selection means selects a menu to be locked according to the day of the week, by locking a menu that is not often ordered depending on the day of the week, it is possible to minimize the loss due to the lock, The effect is obtained that the efficiency can be sufficiently improved.

Further, since the selection means selects the menu to be locked according to the season, the menu which is rarely ordered depending on the season is locked, thereby minimizing the loss due to the lock. The effect is obtained that the efficiency can be sufficiently improved.

Further, since the selection means selects the menu to be locked according to the temperature, the temperature (climate)
By locking menus that are not often ordered, an effect is obtained that the efficiency can be sufficiently improved while minimizing the loss due to locking.

Further, since the selecting means selects the menu to be locked based on the gross margin of each menu, by locking only the menu with poor gross margin,
While minimizing the loss due to locking, it is possible to improve efficiency sufficiently, and customers will order a menu with good gross margin, so the effect of improving the gross profit of the store can be improved. can get.

The present invention also provides a menu display step of displaying a menu list to a customer, an order input step of inputting an order from a customer to an order input terminal, and an order input step in the order input step. An order receiving step of receiving information, a cooking instruction transmitting step of transmitting a cooking instruction according to the order information to the kitchen, a cooking completion report receiving step of receiving a cooking completion report from the kitchen in response to the cooking instruction, and order information and cooking. From the completion report,
Calculating the total unprocessed amount of the current order, a determining step of determining whether the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated based on the total unprocessed amount, and when it is determined that the cooking operation is saturated in the determining step, A menu selection step for selecting a menu for starting locking of an order, and an instruction to display an order stop for the menu selected in the menu selection step is transmitted to the order input terminal. Since it is a menu control method including an order stop instruction transmitting step of transmitting a lock start instruction, it is automatically determined whether or not the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated. , By narrowing down menus to be ordered to a small number, kitchen work is simplified and shortened, work efficiency is improved, and customer waiting time is reduced. Doo is an effect that it can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a menu control system according to Embodiments 1 to 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a controller provided in the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a kitchen display provided in the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a storefront display provided in the menu control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart showing the operation of the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the first half of the lock start operation of the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the latter half of the lock start operation of the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a database storing items to be selected when calculating the total unprocessed amount in the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a database in which items selected in determining a pattern to be locked in the menu control system of the present invention are stored.

FIG. 10 In the menu control system of the present invention,
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part of a lockable pattern prepared in advance in a database.

FIG. 11 In the menu control system of the present invention,
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a menu which can be locked and has a priority order prepared in advance in a database.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation of unlocking the menu control system of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the storefront display provided in the menu control system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a menu control system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional menu management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Handy terminal (HT), 2 kitchen PC, 3
Kitchen display, 4 storefront display, 5 controller, 20 internet, 21 internet terminal, 22 out-of-store reservation system, 23 telephone terminal, 51
CPU, 52 ROM, 53 RAM, 54 time management unit, 55 I / O circuit, 56 wireless circuit, 57 keyboard.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3E042 AA04 CA01 CD02 CD07 CD08 CE07 EA01 3E044 AA12 CA01 CC08 DB12 DC01 DE01 EA11 EB01 5B049 AA00 AA06 BB56 CC05 CC21 CC31 DD01 EE01 EE56 FF01 FF03 GG04 GG13 GG07 GG07 BB04 KK57

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A display for displaying a menu list, an order input terminal for inputting an order from a customer, a kitchen terminal for managing kitchen cooking operations, and a controller for controlling the entire system. The controller comprises: an order receiving means for receiving order information from the order input terminal; a cooking instruction transmitting means for transmitting a cooking instruction according to the order information to the kitchen terminal; A cooking completion report receiving means for receiving a cooking completion report for the cooking instruction from the kitchen terminal; and calculating the total unprocessed amount of the current order from the order information and the cooking completion report, and calculating the total unprocessed amount. Determining means for determining whether or not the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated based on the above, when it is determined by the determining means is saturated A menu selecting means for selecting a menu for starting lock of order acceptance, and transmitting an instruction to the display to display an order stop for the menu selected by the menu selecting means, and for inputting the order. A menu control system, comprising: an order stop instruction transmitting unit that transmits an instruction to start locking the menu to the terminal. 2. The order input terminal further comprises means for outputting an order stop instruction for a predetermined menu to the controller, wherein the order stop instruction transmitting means of the controller comprises:
Based on the order stop instruction from the order input terminal, an instruction is sent to the display to display an order stop for the menu, and the menu is locked to the order input terminal. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting a start instruction.
2. A menu control system according to item 1. 3. The display is constituted by an electro-optical display. In a normal case, the display screen of the electro-optical display is equally divided by the number of all menus, and each menu is divided in each equally divided frame. Display, and when receiving an instruction from the order stop instruction transmitting means, the display screen of the electric light display is equally divided by the number of unlocked menus, and individual menus are displayed. The menu control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. The display according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a menu sample and a plate for displaying a menu name and an order stop, and at least the order stop is displayed by an electronic display. 3. The menu control system according to 1 or 2. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the total unprocessed amount is the total number of menus for which cooking has not been completed.
5. The menu control system according to any one of items 1 to 4. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the total unprocessed amount is obtained by multiplying the total number of menus for which cooking has not been completed by the number of types of the menus. Menu control system. 7. The menu control system according to claim 1, wherein the total unprocessed amount is a total expected cooking time of a menu for which cooking has not been completed. 8. The menu control system according to claim 5, wherein the number of waiting persons is further added to the total unprocessed amount. 9. The menu control system according to claim 5, wherein a reservation amount received from a user-side communication terminal is further added to the total unprocessed amount. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a database in which priority for starting the lock is assigned to each menu, and wherein the menu selecting means starts with the highest priority in the database according to the degree of crowding in the kitchen. The menu control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a menu to be locked is selected for each item in order. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a database in which each menu is grouped into a plurality of groups for each item, and wherein the menu selecting means selects a menu to be locked in the group unit. 10. The menu control system according to any one of claims 9 to 9. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects a menu to be locked according to a time zone.
12. The menu control system according to 0 or 11. 13. The system according to claim 10, wherein said selection means selects a menu to be locked according to a day of the week.
Or the menu control system according to 11. 14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said selection means selects a menu to be locked according to a season.
Or the menu control system according to 11. 15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said selection means selects a menu to be locked according to the temperature.
Or the menu control system according to 11. 16. The menu control system according to claim 10, wherein said selection means selects a menu to be locked based on a margin of each menu. 17. A menu display step of displaying a menu list to a customer, an order input step of inputting an order from the customer to an order input terminal, and receiving the order information input in the order input step. A cooking instruction transmitting step of transmitting a cooking instruction according to the order information to the kitchen; a cooking completion report receiving step of receiving a cooking completion report from the kitchen in response to the cooking instruction; From the cooking completion report, calculate the total unprocessed amount of the current order, and determine whether the cooking operation of the kitchen is saturated based on the total unprocessed amount. A menu selection step of selecting a menu for starting locking of an order when the status is determined to be in a state; An order stop instruction transmitting step of transmitting an instruction to perform order stop display for the menu selected in the selection step and transmitting an instruction to start lock of the menu to the order input terminal; A menu control method, comprising: